Chef Elsie Ramos may have heard the now famous Gordon Ramsay catchphrase “Shut it Down” one too many times when she was a contestant on season one of Hell’s Kitchen, but no one is shutting down this culinary diva anytime soon. Knowing all too well about the on-the-go, modern Latina lifestyle that keeps us constantly on our toes and with very little time to spare, Elsie’s first cookbook, Turkey Tacos and Arroz Con Pollo is a life saver.From mini mofongos to rice with black beans and ham, Elsie specializes in traditional Latin dishes and infuses them with a Puerto Rican flair. Her recipes are refreshingly easy to follow and will leave you wanting to head over to mami’s house and show her your new cooking skills. Do we even need an excuse to go shopping, ladies? Here are the must-haves Elsie shares with us that every Latina chef needs.

What are the must have utensils every Latina should have?

Every Latina NEEDS a caldero! It is the staple for the best rice dish. A good knife is key to safe and quick prepping. You will always have a few in your kitchen drawers, but there is always a “favorite” that just feels right when you’re using it.

What is one ingredient you cannot cook without?

Sofrito is made with simple produce (onion, garlic, peppers and cilantro) but it is my number one ingredient on almost all my dishes. Sofrito is great for seasoning beans, rice, pasta or soup. It also makes a great rub on steak or chicken. It is so easy to make that I always keep batches of it in my fridge.

What is one easy to make meal every Latina should have under their belt?

Arroz con pollo, what else? When you think of Latin cooking, you always think of arroz con pollo. It’s delicious and easy to make. It’s a whole meal in one and while the process is similar in all Latin cultures, you can customize it and make it special to you; I like to add vegetables or olives to dress it up.

Chef Elsie Ramos may have heard the now famous Gordon Ramsay catchphrase “Shut it Down” one too many times when she was a contestant on season one of Hell’s Kitchen, but no one is shutting down this culinary diva anytime soon. Knowing all too well about the on-the-go, modern Latina lifestyle that keeps us constantly on our toes and with very little time to spare, Elsie’s first cookbook, Turkey Tacos and Arroz Con Pollo is a life saver.From mini mofongos to rice with black beans and ham, Elsie specializes in traditional Latin dishes and infuses them with a Puerto Rican flair. Her recipes are refreshingly easy to follow and will leave you wanting to head over to mami’s house and show her your new cooking skills. Do we even need an excuse to go shopping, ladies? Here are the must-haves Elsie shares with us that every Latina chef needs.

What are the must have utensils every Latina should have?

Every Latina NEEDS a caldero! It is the staple for the best rice dish. A good knife is key to safe and quick prepping. You will always have a few in your kitchen drawers, but there is always a “favorite” that just feels right when you’re using it.

What is one ingredient you cannot cook without?

Sofrito is made with simple produce (onion, garlic, peppers and cilantro) but it is my number one ingredient on almost all my dishes. Sofrito is great for seasoning beans, rice, pasta or soup. It also makes a great rub on steak or chicken. It is so easy to make that I always keep batches of it in my fridge.

What is one easy to make meal every Latina should have under their belt?

Arroz con pollo, what else? When you think of Latin cooking, you always think of arroz con pollo. It’s delicious and easy to make. It’s a whole meal in one and while the process is similar in all Latin cultures, you can customize it and make it special to you; I like to add vegetables or olives to dress it up.

Tempura is the quintessential Japanese deep fried dish. We put a twist on it using Mexican beer to add a unique flavor. Try frying shrimp, sweet potato, red pepper, and asparagus!

Author: George Duran

Cuisine: Fusion

Recipe type: Appetizer, Snack, Lunch, Dinner

Ingredients

bottle of cold Mexican beer, such as Corona or Dos Equis 1

flour, plus more for flouring 1 cup

salt 1 teaspoon

large raw shrimp 6

small sweet potato 1

small red pepper 1

asparagus spears 6

vegetable oil for frying 1.5 quarts

Tempura sauce or dumpling sauce for dipping

Preparation

In a bowl mix 1 cup beer into flour. Then add enough beer until batter is smooth and lightly coats a spoon. There will be lumps. Mix in salt.

Make several shallow cuts across the inside curve of each shrimp and press shrimp gently to help prevent curling.

Flour vegetables pieces and shrimp and set aside.

Heat oil in IMUSA wok until it reaches 375° F.

Working in small batches, dredge each vegetables piece until they are completely coated, and place in IMUSA wok, turning often, until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Place on drip tray. Dredge shrimp last and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Serve tempura with dipping sauce right away.

Note: You may use many other sliced vegetables for this recipe including mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and turnips.